A Muslim prayer leader in Fort Lauderdale was tricked into participating in a gun-running scheme by Islamic revolutionaries bent on overthrowing a Caribbean island government, his defense attorney said on Friday.

``I think `duped` is the operative word,`` said Bruce Kessler of the federal public defender`s office, which is representing Louis Haneef, prayer leader of a mosque on Franklin Park Road. Haneef faces federal charges of supplying the arms used in a July coup attempt in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago.

The attorney said Haneef purchased and stored the weapons legally, but played no role in shipping the weapons out of the country or in preparations for the coup.

Kessler made his comments after a two-hour bond hearing before U.S. Magistrate Lurana Snow in Fort Lauderdale. Snow ordered Haneef held without bail, saying she found it ``utterly incredible`` that he could purchase so many guns and not suspect something illegal might be afoot.

But the magistrate also said, ``This case is a lot closer than it appeared to be at first blush.``

Haneef, 34, of Pompano Beach, is charged with exporting arms and ammunition without required licenses from the Commerce and State departments.

Prosecutors say that Haneef purchased more than 200 rifles and pistols, as well as 250,000 rounds of ammunition and portable radios, knowing that they would be used in an attempt by a Muslim group to violently overthrow the government of Trinidad and Tobago.

On July 27, 114 armed members of the Jamaat Al-Muslimeen (Muslim Community group) took over the Trinidad Parliament building and television station. More than 20 people died and hundreds were injured in five days of street battles before the rebels surrendered.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Stefin suggested that Haneef might be part of an international radical Muslim underground. He said that Haneef, a TV repairman with six children and a limited income, had nonetheless traveled extensively in the Middle East in recent years with trips to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Somalia.

Stefin said the government suspected that Haneef received income ``from foreign interests.``

Kessler painted a far different picture of Haneef as he raised questions about the government`s case.

He said that whenever Haneef was approached and questioned by government agents during their nine-month investigation, Haneef cooperated and answered questions truthfully.

U.S. Customs agent Thomas Bailey said that Haneef accurately completed all registration papers for each gun purchased. And he said Haneef rented warehouse space to store the guns in his own name.

But the actual shipping documents were completed by top members of the Trinidad Muslim group -- not Haneef.

At some point, someone else moved the guns from the warehouse to Trinidad without Haneef`s knowledge, Kessler said.

Kessler said Haneef purchased the weapons as part of a business venture proposed by a man he identified as ``Ahkmad Mohammed`` from Queens, N.Y. Mohammed gave Haneef between $45,000 and $55,000 to buy the guns and told him to store them in a warehouse.

Haneef`s understanding was that the guns would be resold in the United States for a profit, Kessler said.